Deadline:
February 28, 2026
Location(s)
Online
Overview
Details
2025 is the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action accepted by all 189 UN countries unanimously at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women. It is an agenda for women’s empowerment and the key global policy document on gender equality.
Inspired by these 30 years of commitment and hard work, BE OPEN’s Design Equality with Innovation programme hopes to mobilize urgent and sustained action to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and support the achievement of the SDGs.
In a rapidly evolving world, global challenges are becoming increasingly complex and interlinked. Innovative approaches are needed in order to improve the way we respond and adapt to this changing environment, where established methods do not always ensure impact. Achieving the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals – and notably the goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment – requires transformative shifts, integrated approaches and new solutions.
BE OPEN will focus the competition on innovative solutions that:
- advance gender equality,
- integrate gender issues within innovation,
- promote women as innovators and entrepreneurs,
- promote technology-driven innovative solutions that meet the needs of women and girls,
- remove the barriers to the advancement of women and girls in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Design Equality with Innovation is an international design competition, developed and held by BE OPEN and our partners. It is open to students and recent graduates/young professionals internationally.
BE OPEN strives to make the competition programme more beneficial for students and graduates:
- the participants can expand their knowledge in sustainable practices and action plans
- the participants can compete for money prizes ranging from €2,000 to €5,000
- the participants can get international publicity as talented creatives and innovators
- the winners will go on a trip to a major international UNSDG-related event and pitch their ideas to international audiences
DESIGN EQUALITY has three categories for the submissions to relate to, to help contestants choose their approach to the challenge:
- Solutions to advocate and advance gender equality
- Solutions that meet the needs of women and girls
- Solutions to promote women as innovators and entrepreneurs
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Dates
Deadline: February 28, 2026
Cost/funding for participants
We invite students and graduates all over the world to submit entries to have a shot at the following prizes:
- First prize -- 5,000 euro
- Second prize -- 3,000 euro
- Third prize -- 2,000 euro
- BE OPEN Choice prize -- 3,000 euro
- Public Vote prize -- 2,000 euro
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
